Allensworth Progressive Association – Fostering Resiliency

02/28/2024
By: Kathy Webster

Allensworth, California’s first all-Black town established in 1908, is in Tulare County, encircled by vast farmlands. For years, the once-prosperous farming community has grappled with environmental challenges, food deserts, and the impacts of systemic racism.  However, amidst this backdrop, a new enterprise, the Allensworth Progressive Association  (APA), emerges as a beacon of change and a spotlight of progress by supplying fresh, locally grown produce to residents and visitors. To truly appreciate the significance of this initiative, it’s essential to delve into Allensworth’s complex history.

Allensworth was founded by Colonel Allen Allensworth, a retired US Army lieutenant colonel, in 1908. Born into enslavement, he escaped and joined the Union Army, where he excelled in his military career. He eventually retired and established the town named in his honor. His vision was to create a community where freed African American people could prosper in an independent, self-governed ranching and farming township.

Col. Allensworth selected an area in southwest Tulare County with good soil and abundant water. In the early 1920s, at its peak, Allensworth had as many as 300 residents, its own school district, and was a voting precinct. It also had a courthouse, a Baptist church, Tulare County library, and the Allensworth Hotel. However, in 1914, the rail line closed the stop, and a severe drought compounded by water being diverted from the area signaled trouble ahead as the deficient water supply wasn’t enough to sustain most of the farming and ranching enterprises.

In 1966, the State of California detected dangerously high levels of arsenic in the drinking water of Allensworth, leading to a decline in the town’s population. However, in 1976, the California State Parks authorized the development of the Colonel Allensworth Historic Park in the town’s oldest area, which helped preserve its rich history.

Allensworth stands as a testament to resilience and community-led development. Leading the way for town revitalization, activist Nettie Morrison moved to Allensworth in 1979 and dedicated her life to fighting local environmental hazards and promoting food security. Inspired by Ms. Morrison’s vision of strengthening and supporting the community, Denise Kadera with her husband Kayode Kadera and her twin brother, Dennis Hutson, are spearheading efforts to revive sustainable farming and educational initiatives in the region.

APA’s farming practices focus on food security for community health, deploying regenerative agriculture practices to create resiliency for their community and in the face of climate change. The farm grows a diverse array of crops reminiscent of Allensworth’s agricultural roots,  such as okra, black-eyed peas, collards, mustards, kale, swiss chard, cantaloupe, watermelon, alfalfa, oats, and edible Jute leaf.

Moreover, in collaboration with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), APA recently introduced The Josephine Allensworth Beginning Farmer Training Program. The program is a 7-month intensive training session with lecture-style classroom learning and fieldwork where students learn technical skills for beginning an agricultural enterprise, crop management through a complete crop cycle, business skills necessary to develop a small farm operation, and obtaining skills needed for farm workers to advance their careers in farming and ranching fostering a legacy of regenerative agriculture and community prosperity.

In the heart of Allensworth, amidst the fields of promise and the echoes of history, a new chapter unfolds—one of renewal, growth, and boundless potential. The APA’s farming initiatives continue to thrive. As the community flourishes, Allensworth embodies the enduring spirit of resilience and hope, inspiring generations to come.